The Perils of Trans Fats

Get off the Trans Fats! I can’t emphasis this statement enough. Trans fats are man-made fats that are heavily used in processed foods. Trans fats are created when vegetable oils go through a process and become what is called “partially-hydrogenated”. If you see this on any of your food packaging, you need to not buy it or throw it away. If you are eating fast food, more than likely, you are consuming a good amount of trans fats. Wendy’s and KFC are two chains that have made the switch away from trans fats (not that this make their foods healthy). This clip from YouTube, The Dangers of Trans Fats, is a collection of various reports on the consequences of eating trans fats. One report states:

Trans fats kills 30,000 Americans a year.

Another report also offers the following practical tips for avoiding trans fat:

1. Shop the perimeter of your grocery store.
2. Avoid fast foods.
3. Avoid processed foods.
4. Read Ingredient labels.

The Government recommendations for trans fats is to limit your intake to 2 grams per day, but if possible, eliminate it completely from your diet. Currently, we are averaging about 6 grams. A little problem with this is that when you read “0 grams of trans fats” from the label, it may not be right. An FDA rule allows food manufacturers to still have trans fats in the foods, but report zero. The rule is as follows:

if a single serving contains a reportable amount of trans fats, which is .5 grams or more, then it must list the amount on the Supplement Facts panel.

So even if you are looking, you may not be able to avoid them. We all need to learn more about issues associated with trans fats and can by reading the American Heart Association’s information on trans fats.